Puri, June 29 (UDN): The holy town of Puri witnessed an overwhelming influx of devotees on the occasion of Deva Snana Purnima, one of the most significant rituals associated with Lord Jagannath.

As per tradition, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan were ceremonially brought to the Snana Mandap, where they were bathed with 108 pitchers of aromatic and sanctified water drawn from the sacred Suna Kua (Golden Well) within the Jagannath Temple premises.

Following the grand bathing ritual, the deities adorned the traditional Gajanana Besha (Elephant Attire), offering devotees a rare and spiritually significant darshan. Thousands of devotees gathered in Srikshetra to witness the sacred event amid elaborate security and crowd management arrangements.

Deva Snana Purnima marks the beginning of the annual Rath Yatra festivities. After the ceremonial bath, the deities are believed to fall ill and remain away from public view during the ‘Anasara’ period before reappearing for the world-famous Rath Yatra.

The atmosphere in Puri was filled with devotion and religious fervour as chants of “Jai Jagannath” echoed across the holy city.